Hernandez thinks homer, settles for single

MIAMI -- Cesar Hernandez stood at home plate and admired the ball he had just crushed toward the right-field wall.

Home run, he thought.

Except, it wasn’t. The ball slammed off the fence, and Hernandez had a long single in a scoreless game in the sixth inning Sunday at Marlins Park. He should have been on second base with a double, giving the Phillies their first runner in scoring position in a must-win game. Fortunately for him, Rhys Hoskins followed with a two-run home run to left field to hand the Phillies a two-run lead. The Phillies could not hold the lead and lost, 3-2.

“It was obviously a mistake,” Hernandez said through the team’s interpreter.

A few people in the visitors' dugout spoke to Hernandez afterward, but he remained in the game.

“Totally, totally unacceptable baserunning play,” Phillies manager Gabe Kapler said. “It was addressed on the bench. I had a conversation with Cesar after the game. He understands it's unacceptable. There's no excuse for it. We have some strong veteran leaders in the clubhouse who will address it as well.”

Did Kapler think about pulling Hernandez from the game?

“It's just an unacceptable baserunning play,” he said.

The Braves recently pulled superstar outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. for not running hard on a ball he thought was a home run. Kapler benched Maikel Franco the day after not running hard in a game against the Dodgers in July, but he has elected not to pull a player during a game. Kapler has his reasons. First, he believes these things can be handled internally. Second, the Phillies believe in keeping their best players on the field to try and win. Hernandez is a better option than Sean Rodríguez or Brad Miller at second base.

Interestingly, Kapler spoke Saturday about right-hander Nick Pivetta needing to hold himself accountable following a demotion to Triple-A. Asked if veterans talking to Hernandez is holding him accountable, Kapler said, “We're all absolutely responsible for holding each other accountable -- 100 percent, you're right on with that.”

Hernandez thanked Hoskins for homering after he crossed home plate. He thanked him again as he took his position before the top of the seventh.

He knew he screwed up.

“There were a few people who talked to me, but it’s something that I know already,” Hernandez said. “These things should not happen, and I can’t even say that it’s part of the game because it just shouldn’t happen.”

Hernandez said he expects to hear boos Monday night against the Pirates at Citizens Bank Park.

“Cesar doesn’t need to be talked to,” Hoskins said. “I don’t think he’s someone that doesn’t play the game the right way. ... Had a little lapse in judgment. Thank goodness it didn’t hurt us. I didn’t say anything to him on the field. He came up to me. That type of player knows. And I think that in itself shows everybody else, that’s what being accountable is, takes it on the wrist, says he’s sorry and my bet is it doesn’t happen again.”